Get ready to foot stomp, clap and dance with the high-energy traditional sounds of The Wheat in the Barley.
The Vancouver and White Rock-based contemporary folk band is scheduled to perform a medley of acoustic music at the Brackendale Art Gallery on Friday (March 26).
"Our approach to traditional music is to jazz it up and we put more modern rhythmic grooves to the music. You know, the old stuff, we spice it up a bit," said lead guitarist and vocalist Steve Gidora.
The band adds contemporary flavour to traditional world music using an arsenal of instruments known to include violins, guitars, accordions, bouzoukis, basses, a djembe, whistles, mandolins, flutes, a bohdran drum, saxophones and harmonicas.
The combination creates a rich stew of hearty tunes and delivers interesting and unique performances, said Gidora.
"We're full of surprises. It's just the way it comes out with our music. We could be going along in a Irish fiddle mode and then all of the sudden we're in a Jethro Tull mode."
The band consists of Ukrainian-Irish, singer-songwriter, guitarist and mandolin player Gidora who has shared a mic with folksters like the likes of Ann Mortifee and Charlotte Diamond.
Accordion player, percussionist and woodwind performer Victor Smith adds a Celtic twist to The Wheat in the Barley while Mark Dowding adds harmonies and melodies on wind instruments and performs on the saxophone as well as on the harmonica.
Bassist and guitarist Mickey Hovan adds a rock based edge to the band while violinist and vocalist Nicole Scoffield is the newest of the bunch.
"We all have such diverse backgrounds. We all have folk, rock, jazz and blues," said Gidora. "All those experiences go into the mix. They're all multi-instrumentalists and they're all very capable of soloing on any of those instruments."
Most of the Celtic-inspired band members have spent 15 years performing and fine tuning their craft, utilizing a vast array of musical inspiration including Maritimes and Francophone heritages.
"We try to pay attention to our Canadian roots," Gidora said.
Gidora lets his Irish and Ukrainian ancestry shine through on Ellen O'Grady and the Arkan Medley, while songs like Misirlu offer a melodic glimpse into the Arabic world.
With four albums under the band's belt, Gidora said they might start recording a fifth sometime soon, but only after they finish the next set of tour dates.
Starting in April, The Wheat in the Barley will embark on a 30-date tour of British Columbia, which will include stops in Prince Rupert, Fort St. John and Smithers.
The Wheat in the Barley show kicks off in Brackendale at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 26 at the BAG.
Admission costs $20 and tickets can be purchased at the BAG or the Bookshelf.
